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News & ArtsThursday, January 14, 2010
Media Can Sarah Palin Name a Founding Father?
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 7:50 AM
Glenn Beck calls bullshit on Sarah Palin. I'm going back to bed.
5
"So much dye-VER-sity". It took her 30 seconds to remember Washington's name. ...dollars to doughnuts she couldn't remember any others in 10 minutes' unaided reflection.
13
If I were smart I would have copyrighted that phrase. Palin would have made me a rich man.
Beck: "So Governor, which enemy should we attack next?"
Palin: "All of them!"
Beck: "So Governor, which enemy should we attack next?"
Palin: "All of them!"
14
Yes. He was commander of the Revolutionary Army, President of the Constitutional Convention, and nobody ever imagined that anyone but he would serve as the first President of the United States. His eulogist wasn't kidding when he said that Washington was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
But my favorite Founder is Washington's butt-boy, Hamilton. Also.
George Washington was the leader of the founding fathers?
Yes. He was commander of the Revolutionary Army, President of the Constitutional Convention, and nobody ever imagined that anyone but he would serve as the first President of the United States. His eulogist wasn't kidding when he said that Washington was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
But my favorite Founder is Washington's butt-boy, Hamilton. Also.
16
Once again, Sarah Palin proves me right: her entire schtick is just that, a schtick. There's simply no way, NO WAY I accept that someone with possible designs on the White House can't name ONE founding father.
I honestly believe if you asked her, "Governor Palin, what is your favorite color?" she'd give an evasive answer. What. The. Bleeding. Hell?
/headshake
I honestly believe if you asked her, "Governor Palin, what is your favorite color?" she'd give an evasive answer. What. The. Bleeding. Hell?
/headshake
17
It becomes more obvious every time I see her: she doesn't have 10 braincells bouncing around in that empty empty head of hers.
19
I don't think the question is that dumb. One could actually give an intelligent response to that question if one knows anything about history. There actually was diversity in the views of the Founding Fathers (e.g., the whole Hamilton/Federalist vs. Jefferson/Antifederalist thing), so you could pick a favorite based on ideology or on some decision that they made.
She should have said Jefferson, and used the words "states rights", "freedom", "rural", and "everyday citizens".
She should have said Jefferson, and used the words "states rights", "freedom", "rural", and "everyday citizens".
21
@14 - Figurehead, administrative and military chief perhaps, but hardly the architect of the Revolution or the Constitution. That title would have to go to Jefferson, with significant assists from Hamilton, Madison, and Adams. Washington's intellectual contributions to the effort were helpful but hardly crucial.
But hey, he was the "decider" in that situation, who needs intellectual heft when you can just "decide" and "lead"?
(Not knocking Washington - he clearly understood his role in a system that was greater than him - but Palin's choice of him is telling - even if it was just because he's the most famous of all.)
But hey, he was the "decider" in that situation, who needs intellectual heft when you can just "decide" and "lead"?
(Not knocking Washington - he clearly understood his role in a system that was greater than him - but Palin's choice of him is telling - even if it was just because he's the most famous of all.)
22
George Washington went back to his farm after Presidenting! How heroic! The correct answer, of course, is "Favorite founder? What kind of question is that? Like favorite ice cream? Favorite color? Who the hell has a favorite founder?" Just trying to answer such a stupid question is stupid. Especially if you can't name a founder.
23
@22, actually some of us history nerds do have favorite founders. For me it is John Adams (and Abigail Adams) followed up by either Franklin or Jefferson, depending on the day.
25
@6: Hey! I'm a wealthy (well, not really, but you know) white man who owns a slave! Of course, my slave is a white woman, and it's consensual, but still.
27
@21 Jefferson was the architect behind the Constitution? That's odd because he was in France at the time of the Constitutional Convention. It's amazing he managed to teleconference in every night.
Or, you know, we could credit Madison for actually writing it and Hamilton for getting it passed.
Or we could just say that because he wrote the Declaration 11 years before, the Constitution was Jefferson's work.
Or, you know, we could credit Madison for actually writing it and Hamilton for getting it passed.
Or we could just say that because he wrote the Declaration 11 years before, the Constitution was Jefferson's work.
28
Jefferson wrote the Constitution of VA w/Mason and Madison - upon which the Constitution of the U.S. is based, so it's a stretch, but you can see where it might be attributed to Jefferson. ;-)
Sad - if Sarah Palin had just watched HBO's John Adams, she could have had a smart answer to that.
Sad - if Sarah Palin had just watched HBO's John Adams, she could have had a smart answer to that.
29
She's bad a pop quizzes. She's not very good at thinking on her feet under pressure.
Do these shortcomings disqualify her from running the country?
Name a single time in the history of this country where our president had to be quick on his feet.
Oh wait... never mind.
Do these shortcomings disqualify her from running the country?
Name a single time in the history of this country where our president had to be quick on his feet.
Oh wait... never mind.
31
Jefferson was emphatically not the architect of either the Revolution or the Constitution.
If it had been up to Jefferson, there wouldn't even be an independent judiciary.
If it had been up to Jefferson, there wouldn't even be an independent judiciary.
32
Beck showed he doesn't have half a nut. He didn't push the question like he probably would have done if it had been anyone else sitting in Palin's chair.
33
How do we define founding father? Those who advocated revolution in the 1760s-70s?
Those who wrote the Articles of Confederation?
Those who participated in the Constitutional Convention? Those who signed the Constitution (you recall James Wilson or Nathaniel Gorham, or James McHenry, right)? What about the Anti-federalists, are any of them included (think Patrick Henry)?
Do the radical republicans of the 1860s get any love (the 14th Amendment).
Those who wrote the Articles of Confederation?
Those who participated in the Constitutional Convention? Those who signed the Constitution (you recall James Wilson or Nathaniel Gorham, or James McHenry, right)? What about the Anti-federalists, are any of them included (think Patrick Henry)?
Do the radical republicans of the 1860s get any love (the 14th Amendment).
36
I like Benjamin Franklin. He actually freed his slaves and became the president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
37
@33 The term was invented in the 20th century to ambiguously refer to a number of different people but you hit the nail on the head. There was no single group that you can pin down definitively.
Also Washington may have been the leader of the country and the army but he was not the leader of the founding fathers. He was an obvious pick for the first president as he was sterile and could not impose a monarchy. Many of the founding fathers disagreed with him personally even if they agreed he was best for the job. It's too bad we can't come to consensus like that lately.
Also Washington may have been the leader of the country and the army but he was not the leader of the founding fathers. He was an obvious pick for the first president as he was sterile and could not impose a monarchy. Many of the founding fathers disagreed with him personally even if they agreed he was best for the job. It's too bad we can't come to consensus like that lately.
38
Of all the founding fathers, I'd want to BE Ben Franklin.
But I admire Washington the most. Followed closely by Jefferson and Adams.
But I admire Washington the most. Followed closely by Jefferson and Adams.
42
Franklin. I wish I could use $100 bills more often.
Madison sold me on bunches of points in the Federalist Papers.
And Jefferson's the one I quote the most. Between his blazing red hair, his carpentry, his devotion to science (all of them!) and his mastery of the violin, he's the founding father I'd most want to be.
Madison sold me on bunches of points in the Federalist Papers.
And Jefferson's the one I quote the most. Between his blazing red hair, his carpentry, his devotion to science (all of them!) and his mastery of the violin, he's the founding father I'd most want to be.
43
@38: He's more likely to be our LITERAL founding father, with all his skirt chasing (though chances are he's probably got more descendants running around in France)
44
It pains me to say this, but I don't find her answer that bad.
I mean - for her anti-elite discourse, doesn't it make perfect sense that she wouldn't pick one of the book-thumping, federalist-writing founding fathers, but Washington, the "decider", who "got-things-done"? And didn't want to remain part of the elite, but went back to his farm.
I really think given her platform and view of politics and herself, it's a very good answer. I have no idea if she thought about that or somebody else thought about that for her or if that was just a lucky hit, but this wouldn't be my choice to make fun of her (esp. with so much to choose from...)
I
I mean - for her anti-elite discourse, doesn't it make perfect sense that she wouldn't pick one of the book-thumping, federalist-writing founding fathers, but Washington, the "decider", who "got-things-done"? And didn't want to remain part of the elite, but went back to his farm.
I really think given her platform and view of politics and herself, it's a very good answer. I have no idea if she thought about that or somebody else thought about that for her or if that was just a lucky hit, but this wouldn't be my choice to make fun of her (esp. with so much to choose from...)
I
46
@44 I see where you are coming from, but the problem is there would have been a Founding Father who perfectly fits her viewpoint. Jefferson was very much opposed to a strong Federal Government. He believed firmly in State's Rights and that farmers were the backbone of our country and city dwellers were all corrupt. Sounds a lot like Palin to me. Except that Jefferson was eloquent and his views made a lot more sense in1800 than 2009.
Washington, however, kind of just stayed neutral on politics until he was President and only spoke up about supplying his troops
Washington, however, kind of just stayed neutral on politics until he was President and only spoke up about supplying his troops
47
Much as I would love to rag on Sarah Palin, I think the point of her comment was implicit (how subtle of her) criticism of the Democrats - i.e. the founding fathers worked together despite the diversity of opinion (all good Republicans know that the Democrats aren't doing that). Also George Washington retired to his "farm" at the end of his term (like George Bush) instead of keeping in the spotlight like the Clintons.
Since when is George Washington not considered a "Founding Father" ? Check it out on Wiki
Since when is George Washington not considered a "Founding Father" ? Check it out on Wiki
48
WHAT NEWSPAPERS DO YOU READ? Palin: Uh, All of 'em....
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER? Palin: Uh, All of 'em...
You CAN'T make this stuff up!
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER? Palin: Uh, All of 'em...
You CAN'T make this stuff up!
49
Her answer needs to go under the entry for "blather" in the dictionary. I think it is an insult to all Americans that she still goes on TV
51
@46: Let's not be too harsh on Washington. He set the precedent for a handover of power after two terms, which was respected for more than a century.
54
You know, the thing is, a person can be smart without being a history buff. I know *I* couldn't give you any sort of meaningful answer to that question.
HOWEVER. If I were running for public office, you had better believe that I would become a history buff right quick. Learning would occur. Opinions would be formed. She has had a loooooooong time now to dust off her middle school social studies text. If she had any sense at all, she would have done so.
Alas, her unmitigated dipshittery continues.
HOWEVER. If I were running for public office, you had better believe that I would become a history buff right quick. Learning would occur. Opinions would be formed. She has had a loooooooong time now to dust off her middle school social studies text. If she had any sense at all, she would have done so.
Alas, her unmitigated dipshittery continues.
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